Bridges: Individualized Mentoring

Bridging to the Future

All of our mentoring programs are designed to help each resident develop goals and meet them successfully. The network of mentors provides guidance throughout residency and on into fellowship and the professional lives of our graduates.

Individualized Mentoring: Finding your Path and Building a Bridge to your Future

Residents enter our program at various stages of professional and personal development. Some are certain about their career direction and need mentoring around professional development and/or research. Others are excited about all of Pediatrics and benefit from advice and mentoring about choosing a career path. All residents gain from support and guidance throughout residency training. In addition to the support residents receive from Program Directors and Chief Residents, we provide individualized, ongoing advising, support, guidance and mentoring tailored to each resident’s current and future needs. Bridges provides an infrastructure to assure that interns get the individualized support they need throughout all program years.

Mentoring

builds confidence

increases satisfaction

shapes professional identity

is a strong predictor of research productivity

is linked to promotions and compensation

Primary Mentors

Prior to starting the first year of residency training, each intern is paired with a faculty member who will serve as a Primary Mentor. Faculty and interns are carefully matched based upon what the intern is seeking in the relationship. The Primary Mentor meets the intern at an Orientation event and a regular meeting schedule for the year is arranged. At least one of these mentor meetings in the first year occurs with a Program Director to assure that we are providing integrated and optimal support and guidance.

Professional development (developing learning goals, choosing a career; networking)

Skill development (communication, time management, clinical skill)

Research/Academic development

Navigating the academic or other relevant environment

The Mentor’s focus is to provide personalized oversight, general advice and guidance for the intern as he/she progresses through the program. All of our Mentors are trained and have the connections within the Department of Pediatrics to arrange contacts with additional faculty members as the residents’ career interests develop.

Mentor Teams

As needs or goals change residents may choose to change their mentor and/or expand to have a mentor team. There is a formal process to obtain input from residents about their mentor experience that to assure residents are being effectively mentored and to evaluate the processes of the program. Most residents wish to continue with the Primary Mentor they were paired with in year one, but are free to change for any reason.